For twenty-two years, from 1922 to 1944, a small, ever-changing group of children
were part of this charming and very funny comedy team known first as Our
Gang and then The Little Rascals. Matthew "Stymie" Beard,
Jr. kicked off his film debut at age five when he became a regular in the Our
Gang film series.

Perhaps Our Gang's best-loved character is derby-hatted Stymie. His
beguiling personality and tantalizing smile brightened every scene he was in. Stymie often seemed detached, but he could generally outsmart or
outmaneuver any adversary. He tossed off snappy dialogue with assurance, and above all could register a shrewd variety of double takes.

Beards' curiosity and adventurous nature earned him his nickname when the series
director became "stymied" by the young actor who was always underfoot.
Stymie is best remembered for his oversized derby hat and ornery smile. The smile
came naturally, but the hat (which represented what he considered the crown of
comedy), came as a gift from Stan Laurel of Laurel & Hardy.

Beard appeared in 36 Our Gang comedies and also had parts in Truck Turner, The
Buddy Holly Story and TV sitcom Sanford and Son. He also appeared in Jezebel with Bette
Davis and Stormy Weather with Lena Horne.

Beard died in 1981. His fans will always treasure him for his innocentl emotional
eyes, comedic double takes and childhood antics. "We had a lot of fun doing
the films," Beard recalls. "Aside from an occasional scrap, the kids
got along very well. It was a wonderful experience." The magic of movies
bestows a degree of immortality, and we can treasure forever the frozen illusions
and dazzling eternally young faces we visit over and over again on the screen.